Tourism has become a larger source of income in recent years, with many cruise ships and sailing yachts visiting the islands (the only way to visit South Georgia is by sea). The territory gains income from landing charges and the sale of souvenirs. Cruise ships often combine a Grytviken visit with a trip to the Antarctic Peninsula.
Charter yacht visits usually begin in the Falkland Islands, last between four and six weeks, and enable guests to visit remote harbors of South Georgia and even the South Sandwich Islands. Sailing vessels are now required to anchor out and can no longer tie up to the old whaling piers on shore.[citation needed] The island has also featured in the Warren Miller video 'Storm'.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Tourism in Niue, Alofi, Oceania
Tourism has been identified as one of the three priority economic sectors (the other two are Fisheries and Agriculture) for economic development in Niue. In 2006, estimated visitor expenditure reached $1.6 million making Tourism a major export industry for Niue. Niue will continue to receive direct support from the Government and overseas donor agencies. Air New Zealand is the sole airline serving Niue, flying to Niue once a week. It took over after Polynesian Airlines stopped flying in November 2005. There is currently a tourism development strategy to increase the number of rooms available to overseas tourists at a sustainable level. Niue is also trying to attract foreign investors to invest in the tourism industry of Niue by offering import and company tax concessions as incentives.
Tourism in Marshall Islands, Majuro, Oceania
The tourist industry, now a small source of foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the labor force, remains the best hope for future added income. The islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports.
In 2005, Aloha Airlines canceled its flight services to the Marshall Islands as part of its withdrawal from several markets in the region. Though other international airlines still serve Majuro, the Aloha decision was a setback in the country's hopes of increased revenues from tourism.
In 2005, Aloha Airlines canceled its flight services to the Marshall Islands as part of its withdrawal from several markets in the region. Though other international airlines still serve Majuro, the Aloha decision was a setback in the country's hopes of increased revenues from tourism.
Tourism in Guam, Hagåtña, Oceania
In 1967, 109 passengers traveled from Haneda, Japan, to explore Guam, which at the time was a newly discovered exotic island.[dubious – discuss] Since then, Guam has grown into a major tourism hub for primarily Japanese travelers. The island's tourist district, Tumon, features more than 20 large hotels, a Duty-Free Shoppers Galleria, a shopping and nightlife district dubbed Pleasure Island, an indoor aquarium, Sandcastle Las Vegas-style shows and other entertainment venues.
The true beauty of Guam, however, can be found far beyond the bustling streets of downtown Tumon. Nature lovers are drawn to the island because of its unspoiled landscape – above and below sea level. From Ritidian Point, a former military area transformed into the Guam National Wildlife Refuge to preserve indigenous animals and plant life, to Inajaran village, a thriving example of Spanish-influenced endemic Chamorro culture from the island's past, visitors are bound to see sites they will not soon forget.
Many tourists and locals meet at Chamorro Village (I Sengsong Chamorro) each Wednesday and Friday night for food, music, arts and crafts. Centrally located along Hagatna Bay, the night market offers a chance to enjoy authentic local cuisine like seafood, fried chicken, pancit and barbecued ribs, and purchase handmade items. A main hall is used for shows featuring local talent and dancing, while an outside stage often hosts cultural dances. The event, traditionally held only on Wednesday nights, expanded to Friday nights in October 2009.
Newcomers to Guam are often attracted to historic World War II battle grounds and forts, including Fort Santa Agueda (better known as Fort Apugan), which overlooks the capital city of Hagatna, to South Pacific Memorial Park, a peaceful green space dedicated to the millions of locals, Japanese and American soldiers, who died in the Pacific War between 1941 to 1945.
The island's capital of Hagatna is dotted with remnants of the great Pacific war, along with influences of early Spanish culture, including Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica, the center of Catholic faith on Guam. Popular among tourists and widely used by the local population, the cathedral sits atop the site of the first Catholic Church built by Padre San Vitores in 1669.
"The Basilica" is just one stop on the new Heritage Walking Trail, a 2.5-mile trek that winds through 17 historic sites in Guam's capital district. Spearheaded by the island's Department of Parks & Recreation and funded by a grant obtained from the U.S. Department of Interior, the walking trail is expected for full completion in March 2010. Government officials and community leaders have envisioned the trail as a way to help tourists discover the historic capital city, which is currently undergoing a massive revitalization.
Historic sites in Guam are not just found above sea level, however. Many have been discovered in the island's surrounding waters, which saw action in World Wars I and II. The SMS Cormoran, a German cruiser that rests in more than 100 feet of water, was scuttled in Apra Harbor by her captain in 1917, when the United States first entered World War I. Another 8,300-ton Japanese passenger-cargo ship, the Tokai Maru, sunk by the U.S. submarine Flying Fish in World War II, lies on its port side next to the Cormoran, offering divers the unique opportunity of simultaneously touching two wrecks from two World Wars.
Water sports are arguably considered Guam's finest offering. With thriving coral reefs and clear blue waters, lovers of the ocean find solace in everything from kite boarding and deep-sea fishing to scuba diving. Located at the edge of the Marianas Trench, Guam is renowned for its vivid turquoise lagoons, deep-sea currents and water clarity. Between December and May, visibility is as much as 150 feet, and the average water temperature is a warm 85°F (27°C) year-round.
The mild climate also makes Guam ideal for many other outdoor activities, including jungle hiking – or as locals call it – "boonie stomping." Although much of the island's land is privately owned, the Department of Parks & Recreation publicizes several areas suitable to hike. The Guam Boonie Stompers, a local group that hosts guided hikes each weekend, also takes willing adventurers to out-of-the-way, seldom seen areas.
Traveling to Guam is a relatively short flight from Asia or Australia compared to Hawaii, and has luxury-class hotels and seven public golf courses accommodating more than 1 million tourists each year. Although 80 percent of the island's visitors are Japanese, Guam receives a sizable number of tourists from South Korea, the United States, the Philippines and Taiwan.
In an effort to increase the number of visitors the island receives annually, local organizations have made efforts to ease visa regulations for travelers. In 2009, an interim ruling was imposed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to ease travel among People's Republic of China, the Russia Federation and the CNMI. Local authorities believe there is a strategic need to develop a similar program with China, which Guam hopes to cultivate as a new market. Failing that, local authorities would like to at least pursue an expedited visa granting system, according to the Economic Forecast, 2009 Guam-CNMI Edition published by First Hawaiian Bank.
Other efforts aimed at increasing tourism in a struggling economic market include measures by national airlines like Continental Micronesia, which has an Asia-Pacific hub on Guam. Continental recently reinstated nonstop flights to Hong Kong.
The true beauty of Guam, however, can be found far beyond the bustling streets of downtown Tumon. Nature lovers are drawn to the island because of its unspoiled landscape – above and below sea level. From Ritidian Point, a former military area transformed into the Guam National Wildlife Refuge to preserve indigenous animals and plant life, to Inajaran village, a thriving example of Spanish-influenced endemic Chamorro culture from the island's past, visitors are bound to see sites they will not soon forget.
Many tourists and locals meet at Chamorro Village (I Sengsong Chamorro) each Wednesday and Friday night for food, music, arts and crafts. Centrally located along Hagatna Bay, the night market offers a chance to enjoy authentic local cuisine like seafood, fried chicken, pancit and barbecued ribs, and purchase handmade items. A main hall is used for shows featuring local talent and dancing, while an outside stage often hosts cultural dances. The event, traditionally held only on Wednesday nights, expanded to Friday nights in October 2009.
Newcomers to Guam are often attracted to historic World War II battle grounds and forts, including Fort Santa Agueda (better known as Fort Apugan), which overlooks the capital city of Hagatna, to South Pacific Memorial Park, a peaceful green space dedicated to the millions of locals, Japanese and American soldiers, who died in the Pacific War between 1941 to 1945.
The island's capital of Hagatna is dotted with remnants of the great Pacific war, along with influences of early Spanish culture, including Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica, the center of Catholic faith on Guam. Popular among tourists and widely used by the local population, the cathedral sits atop the site of the first Catholic Church built by Padre San Vitores in 1669.
"The Basilica" is just one stop on the new Heritage Walking Trail, a 2.5-mile trek that winds through 17 historic sites in Guam's capital district. Spearheaded by the island's Department of Parks & Recreation and funded by a grant obtained from the U.S. Department of Interior, the walking trail is expected for full completion in March 2010. Government officials and community leaders have envisioned the trail as a way to help tourists discover the historic capital city, which is currently undergoing a massive revitalization.
Historic sites in Guam are not just found above sea level, however. Many have been discovered in the island's surrounding waters, which saw action in World Wars I and II. The SMS Cormoran, a German cruiser that rests in more than 100 feet of water, was scuttled in Apra Harbor by her captain in 1917, when the United States first entered World War I. Another 8,300-ton Japanese passenger-cargo ship, the Tokai Maru, sunk by the U.S. submarine Flying Fish in World War II, lies on its port side next to the Cormoran, offering divers the unique opportunity of simultaneously touching two wrecks from two World Wars.
Water sports are arguably considered Guam's finest offering. With thriving coral reefs and clear blue waters, lovers of the ocean find solace in everything from kite boarding and deep-sea fishing to scuba diving. Located at the edge of the Marianas Trench, Guam is renowned for its vivid turquoise lagoons, deep-sea currents and water clarity. Between December and May, visibility is as much as 150 feet, and the average water temperature is a warm 85°F (27°C) year-round.
The mild climate also makes Guam ideal for many other outdoor activities, including jungle hiking – or as locals call it – "boonie stomping." Although much of the island's land is privately owned, the Department of Parks & Recreation publicizes several areas suitable to hike. The Guam Boonie Stompers, a local group that hosts guided hikes each weekend, also takes willing adventurers to out-of-the-way, seldom seen areas.
Traveling to Guam is a relatively short flight from Asia or Australia compared to Hawaii, and has luxury-class hotels and seven public golf courses accommodating more than 1 million tourists each year. Although 80 percent of the island's visitors are Japanese, Guam receives a sizable number of tourists from South Korea, the United States, the Philippines and Taiwan.
In an effort to increase the number of visitors the island receives annually, local organizations have made efforts to ease visa regulations for travelers. In 2009, an interim ruling was imposed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to ease travel among People's Republic of China, the Russia Federation and the CNMI. Local authorities believe there is a strategic need to develop a similar program with China, which Guam hopes to cultivate as a new market. Failing that, local authorities would like to at least pursue an expedited visa granting system, according to the Economic Forecast, 2009 Guam-CNMI Edition published by First Hawaiian Bank.
Other efforts aimed at increasing tourism in a struggling economic market include measures by national airlines like Continental Micronesia, which has an Asia-Pacific hub on Guam. Continental recently reinstated nonstop flights to Hong Kong.
Tourism in Suriname, Paramaribo, South America
Royal Torarica, was opened in the night district of Paramaribo on the Suriname River. The hotel industry is important to Suriname's economy. The rental of apartments, or the rent-a-house phenomenon, is also popular in Suriname.
Most tourists visit Suriname for the outstanding biodiversity of the pristine Amazonian rain forests in the south of the country, which are noted for their flora and fauna. The Central Suriname Nature Reserve is the biggest and one of the most popular reserves, along with the Brownsberg Nature Park which overlooks the Brokopondo Reservoir, the latter being one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. Tonka Island in the reservoir is home to a rustic eco-tourism project run by the Saramaccaner Maroons. There are also many waterfalls throughout the country: Raleighvallen, or Raleigh Falls, is a 56,000 hectare nature reserve on the Coppename River, rich in bird life. Also are the Blanche Marie Falls on the Nickerie River and the Wonotobo Falls. Tafelberg Mountain in the centre of the country is surrounded by its own reserve- the Tafelberg Nature Reserve- around the source of the Saramacca River, as is the Voltzberg Nature Reserve further north on the Coppename River at Raleighvallen. In the interior are many Maroon and Amerindian villages which often have their own reserves and are open to visitors.
Suriname is one of the few countries in the world where at least one of each biome that the state possesses has been declared a wildlife reserve. Around 30% of the total land area of Suriname is protected by law as reserves.
Other attractions include plantations such as Laarwijk, which is situated along the Suriname River. This plantation can only be reached by boat via Domburg, in the north central Wanica District of Suriname.
Most tourists visit Suriname for the outstanding biodiversity of the pristine Amazonian rain forests in the south of the country, which are noted for their flora and fauna. The Central Suriname Nature Reserve is the biggest and one of the most popular reserves, along with the Brownsberg Nature Park which overlooks the Brokopondo Reservoir, the latter being one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. Tonka Island in the reservoir is home to a rustic eco-tourism project run by the Saramaccaner Maroons. There are also many waterfalls throughout the country: Raleighvallen, or Raleigh Falls, is a 56,000 hectare nature reserve on the Coppename River, rich in bird life. Also are the Blanche Marie Falls on the Nickerie River and the Wonotobo Falls. Tafelberg Mountain in the centre of the country is surrounded by its own reserve- the Tafelberg Nature Reserve- around the source of the Saramacca River, as is the Voltzberg Nature Reserve further north on the Coppename River at Raleighvallen. In the interior are many Maroon and Amerindian villages which often have their own reserves and are open to visitors.
Suriname is one of the few countries in the world where at least one of each biome that the state possesses has been declared a wildlife reserve. Around 30% of the total land area of Suriname is protected by law as reserves.
Other attractions include plantations such as Laarwijk, which is situated along the Suriname River. This plantation can only be reached by boat via Domburg, in the north central Wanica District of Suriname.
Tourism in Ecuador, Quito, South America
The Galápagos Islands (official name: Archipiélago de Colón; other Spanish names: Islas de Colón or Islas Galápagos) are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean, 972 km west of continental Ecuador. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site: wildlife is its most notable feature.
The Galápagos islands and its surrounding waters are part of a province, a national park, and a biological marine reserve. The principal language on the islands is Spanish. The islands have a population of around 23,000.
The islands are geologically young and famed for their vast number of endemic species, which were studied by Charles Darwin during the voyage of the Beagle. His observations and collections contributed to the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection.
The first crude navigation chart of the islands was done by the buccaneer Ambrose Cowley in 1684. He named the individual islands after some of his fellow pirates or after the English noblemen who helped the privateer's cause. More recently, the Ecuadorian government gave most of the islands Spanish names. While the Spanish names are official, many users (especially ecological researchers) continue to use the older English names, particularly as those were the names used when Charles Darwin visited.
The Galápagos islands and its surrounding waters are part of a province, a national park, and a biological marine reserve. The principal language on the islands is Spanish. The islands have a population of around 23,000.
The islands are geologically young and famed for their vast number of endemic species, which were studied by Charles Darwin during the voyage of the Beagle. His observations and collections contributed to the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection.
The first crude navigation chart of the islands was done by the buccaneer Ambrose Cowley in 1684. He named the individual islands after some of his fellow pirates or after the English noblemen who helped the privateer's cause. More recently, the Ecuadorian government gave most of the islands Spanish names. While the Spanish names are official, many users (especially ecological researchers) continue to use the older English names, particularly as those were the names used when Charles Darwin visited.
Tourism in Colombia, Bogotá, South America
For many years serious internal armed conflict deterred tourists from visiting Colombia, with official travel advisories warning against travel to the country. However, in recent years numbers have risen sharply, thanks to improvements in security resulting from President Álvaro Uribe's "democratic security" strategy, which has included significant increases in military strength and police presence throughout the country and pushed rebel groups further away from the major cities, highways and tourist sites likely to attract international visitors. Foreign tourist visits were predicted to have risen from 0.5 million in 2003 to 1.3 million in 2007,[37] while Lonely Planet picked Colombia as one of their top ten world destinations for 2006.[38] The improvements in the country's security were recognised in November 2008 with a revision of the travel advice on Colombia issued by the British Foreign Office.[39]
Colombia Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism Luis Guillermo Plata said his country had received 2,348,948 visitors in 2008. He is expecting 2,650,000 tourists for 2009.[40][41]
Popular tourist attractions include the historic Candelaria district of central Bogotá, the walled city and beaches of Cartagena, the colonial towns of Santa Fe de Antioquia, Popayan, Villa de Leyva and Santa Cruz de Mompox, and the Las Lajas Cathedral and the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá. Tourists are also drawn to Colombia's numerous festivals, including Medellín's Festival of the Flowers, the Barranquilla Carnival, the Carnival of Blacks and Whites in Pasto and the Ibero-American Theater Festival in Bogotá. Meanwhile, because of the improved security, Caribbean cruise ships now stop at Cartagena and Santa Marta.
The great variety in geography, flora and fauna across Colombia has also resulted in the development of an ecotourist industry, concentrated in the country's national parks. Popular ecotourist destinations include: along the Caribbean coast, the Tayrona National Natural Park in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range and Cabo de la Vela on the tip of the Guajira Peninsula; the Nevado del Ruiz volcano, the Cocora valley and the Tatacoa Desert in the central Andean region; Amacayacu National Park in the Amazon River basin; and the Pacific islands of Malpelo and Gorgona. Colombia is home to seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
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